Accept No Medicore Life: Living Beyond Labels, Libels, and Limitations

In David Fosterís Accept No Mediocre Life, the author encourages readers to live beyond labels they are saddled with from youth. His inspiring message is that you are good enough to excel.

The book is broken down into four commitments: excelling at being who I am; excelling at being where I am; excelling with what I have; and excelling while I can. Each commitment has three chapters dedicated to specific aspects of that commitment. This book is packed with action steps and wisdom from a man who has clearly been there. David Foster is the founding/senior pastor at Bellevue Community Church in Tennessee, hosts a radio talk show, and together with his wife teaches seminars across the country.

Citing vast and varied sources, Foster weaves together an entertaining and transparent look into the life of one man set on breaking down the barriers imposed by others. With skillful use of poetry and alliterated prose, Foster adds a delightful counterpoint to his heavy message. This pastor is truly listening to the heart of God. These are the words of a shepherd to his sheep, a welcome beacon of light in the mind-numbing darkness of the world.

My skeptical reservation to pastors whose words are more inspired by books of quotes and illustrations than God was broken down by Fosterís sincerity and timely message. This is no hodge-podge of stories lumped together to meet a deadline, this is an inspired work which will further the work of the kingdom through the lives of the saints. At one point Foster asks the reader for their trust, but not too soon to make it seem a sympathetic ploy, just in time to reveal to me that he had indeed, earned my trust. I highly recommend this book for its laugh-out-loud, shout-amen likeability, wisdom, and practicality. -- Suzanne Rae Deshchidn, Christian Book Previews.com

Book Jacket:

Widely loved speaker and pastor David Foster urges readers to shed the labels others so often place on us, especially the most dangerous label of all: mediocre. All labels are libels, and this one is the most insidious. When we believe the opinions of others about us, we can't fail to measure up to their meager expectations. But there are ways to break free, to go through life dancing, twirling, testing our limits, embracing the best God has in store for us. As an old proverb has it, "He who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; he who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it."

Organized in a series of four Commitments, ACCEPT NO MEDIOCRE LIFE details promises for us to make to ourselves as we strive for excellence in our lives. These twelve promises-among them, "I will embrace my uniqueness," "I will conquer my fears," "I will serve a noble cause," "I will treat time as life"-form a personal agenda by which we can realize our full potential, whatever our circumstances.

The perfect conditions, perfect timing, perfect skills for achieving excellence will never come. We have to seize today and vow to begin a life-changing, life-affirming journey to reach the awesome possibilities ahead. As Foster says, "We will not be denied, because we refuse to live within the limits of man-made labels and libels. We will not accept a mediocre life and we will not disappear quietly into the middle. We gladly accept the proverb 'Those who hear not the music, think the dancer's mad.' We hear the music, it's in our heart and soul, and we must dance."